HOW LONG IS A WEDDING?

Saturday-Evening Wedding: Generally five to six hours, seven hours max
Cocktail-Style Wedding: Four to five hours
Daytime or Weekday-Evening Wedding: Four to five hours

EVENING WEDDING

10:00 a.m.—Hair and makeup/Getting ready begins
12:00–2:00 p.m.—Most vendors arrive for setup
2:00 p.m.—Wedding party and family photos start
3:30 p.m.—Doors open/Guests begin to arrive/Pre-ceremony music starts
4:00 p.m.—Invite time
4:15 p.m.—Ceremony starts
4:35 p.m.—Ceremony ends
4:40 p.m.—Cocktail hour starts

5:45 p.m.—Move guests into dinner
6:00 p.m.—Buffet opens/Dinner served
6:35 p.m.—All guests have food
7:00 p.m.—Toasts
7:15 p.m.—First dance
7:25 p.m.—General dancing music starts
8:30 p.m.—Cake Cutting
9:45 p.m.—Last call
9:55 p.m.—Music off
10:00 p.m.—Guests depart
10:00 p.m.—Breakdown commences
11:00 p.m.—Everyone out

MORNING WEDDING

7:00 a.m.—Hair and makeup starts
8:00 a.m.—Vendors arrive/Setup starts
9:15 a.m.—Couple’s portraits
9:30 a.m.—Family pictures
9:45 a.m.—Guests begin to arrive
10:15 a.m.—Invite time
10:30 a.m.—Ceremony starts
11:00 a.m.—Ceremony concludes
11:00 a.m.—Cocktail hour starts
12:00 a.m.—Lunch is served
12:15 p.m.—Toasts
12:45 p.m.—Cake cutting
12:50 p.m.—First dance
1:00 p.m.—Dance party
2:40 p.m.—Last dance
2:45 p.m.—Send-off
3:00 p.m.—Guests depart
3:00 p.m.—Breakdown commences
4:00 p.m.—Everyone out

COCKTAIL WEDDING

1:00 p.m.—Vendors arrive for setup
2:30 p.m.—Guests begin to arrive
3:00 p.m.—Invite time
3:15 p.m.—Ceremony starts
3:30 p.m.—Ceremony ends
3:35 p.m.—First round of food comes out/Bar opens
3:35 p.m.—Music starts inside
5:00 p.m.—Heavier rounds of food come out
5:15 p.m.—Toasts
5:30 p.m.—First dance
6:00 p.m.—Pre-sunset portraits
6:30 p.m.—Cake cutting
7:00 p.m.—Couple and guests depart
7:00 p.m.—Breakdown commences
8:00 p.m.—Everyone out